Senator James Skoufis honored journalist Terry Anderson with the Liberty Medal at the Associated Press headquarters in Manhattan. The Liberty Medal is the highest civilian honor a resident can receive from the New York State Legislature, and is awarded to individuals for exceptional and heroic acts.
Anderson served as a combat journalist with the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Later in his career, he served in different parts of the world for the Associated Press, and in 1985 he was abducted by militants in Beirut and held captive for seven years.
“The responsibility of the fourth estate is never greater than in places and times of conflict. Terry reported first-hand the how, what, and why of wars far from home, and paid a steep price for his work. He risked his life to bear witness to events across the world, giving voice to the people within the conflict—both the political actors and the civilian population. His service didn’t stop when he retired from reporting, continuing to advocate for the vulnerable among us, and his sense of duty exemplifies the Liberty Medal’s high standard of public service.”
